Description
Bleeding was accepted as a cure for a wide variety of medical complaints since Hippocrates’ teachings in the 5th century BC. It continued to be a popular until the 20th century. Physicians were known to have kept and consulted complex charts that showed which parts of the body should be bleed for each illness.

Prior to the development of the spring scarificator in around 1710, the surgeon had followed ancient practice and made a series of parallel incisions with a lancet or surgical knife.

A scarificator consists of a brass box with 4 to 16 spring loaded blades which are released to make a series of cuts in the patient. A heated cupping glass is then applied over the cuts. As the cupping glass cools a vacuum is created. This vacuum draws the blood from the body and collects it within the cupping glass.

The ability to alter the depth of the blades was added in the mid-18th century and according to Bayfield, writing in 1823, depth settings should be 1/7” for cupping behind the ears, 1/8” for the temple, 1/6” for the scalp and 1/4” everywhere else.
11/08/2006
Created by: updated by Ruth Horry on 11/08/2006